Saving energy and increasing comfort with fans

InvertedVee

My recently-built home is well-insulated and is heated to 19C in the mornings and to 20C in the evenings with gas central heating, using around 45kWh/day in the coldest weather and around 25kWh/day on average during January. So far, so good.

But during the evenings when I'm sitting still and there's little air movement in the lounge, my legs feel cold.

I had a hunch that I was heating the air near the ceilings much more than the air near the floor. Sure enough, I have measured a temperature difference of 2-3C between spots on the walls which are 20cm and 220cm above the floor. I used an infrared thermometer and found consistent results in various rooms, upstairs and downstairs.

I have experimented with a small fan on the lounge floor to stir (destratify) the air and I certainly feel an improvement. It's now on a smart plug with a timed setting.

I don't want to install large ceiling fans but I wonder if anyone has any experience with similar issues and can recommend products or strategies? The fans would need to be:

• very quiet
• consume very little energy themselves
• be inexpensive
• not be unsightly

EssexHebridean

Over time, I'd suggest that a small, cheap, fleecey throw might work out more cost effective? It also has the "cosy factor" - sometimes regardless of how warm a room actually is, just that extra level of comfort can make a real difference. 

InvertedVee

EssexHebridean said:

Over time, I'd suggest that a small, cheap, fleecey throw might work out more cost effective? It also has the "cosy factor" - sometimes regardless of how warm a room actually is, just that extra level of comfort can make a real difference. 

That's what my other half does!

_Sam_

We use air purifier (whenever we are at rest in the house, so sleeping/lounging/WFH but not cooking/cleaning etc). 

It's max wattage is 50w but that is on the highest fan setting, need to put a smart plug on to find out how much it takes on the lowest. It is quite a few years old, so more modern ones should be more efficient.

It is virtually silent on the lowest fan setting, as it is designed for allergy sufferers to use during sleep. A bit unsightly though, basically a white box in the room. But it helps create cleaner air inside, and I suppose helps move some air about! 

InvertedVee

_Sam_ said:

We use air purifier 

Ooh, that's an idea. The big blue and yellow place have a cheap one that I might try out.

Qyburn

Some of the buildings I dealt with had "Destrat fans" in halls and similar spaces with high ceilings. I actually don't like feeling moving air but maybe the effect didn't reach right down to head height. I remember we had to schedule them off on evenings when they had badminton.